Just Another Day
by Paige Turner ME
Summary: Marguerite and Roxton go gem hunting and end up in peril...Just another day for the explorers!


Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of "The Lost World" characters. They belong to Telescene, or Hayes/Cooyte Productions...something like that. Don't worry I'll give them back.....  
Category: R/M, Action/Adventure  
Rating: PG-13?? Only a naughty word now and then....Nothing too terrible!  
*Author Notes: This is my first fan fic so please...BE NICE! Thanks! Also, this is a response to the FanFic Challenge 2 at Carolyns site!  
  
  
  
  
  
Just Another Day  
  
  
  
Marguerite Krux had awakened before any of the explorers and decided to fix breakfast for everyone. She went to see if they had any eggs and was excited to see a dozen of them. I'll show them who can cook, she thought with a smile on her face.  
  
********  
  
Minutes later Roxton woke up to a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. "Just in time for Veronica's cooking", he said as he pulled on his clothes to greet the day. Roxton walked out to the kitchen and stopped in his tracks. Marguerite stood over the table, setting out plates for everyone. She heard Roxton come in so she looked up and smiled.  
  
"Morning Roxton, just in time for breakfast", Marguerite said cheerfully.  
  
"Yes, I can see that Marguerite. Where is Veronica?"  
  
"Still sleeping I would imagine. Why?" She looked at him confused.  
  
Roxton just grinned. "You mean you cooked this delicious smelling food yourself?"  
  
"Yes. All by my lonesome. Now go wake the others before it gets cold".  
  
Roxton awoke the others and much to their dislike they decided to try Marguerite's cooking. Malone was shocked to see perfectly scrambled eggs on his plate when he sat down.  
  
Malone grinned, "Well Marguerite, it looks good and smells good".   
  
Veronica smirked, "Yes well, looks can be deceiving".  
  
"Ain't that the truth". Roxton said as he winked at Marguerite.   
  
Marguerite rolled her eyes, "Oh honestly, you all act like I'm about to poison you. Just eat it".   
  
They all picked up some food on their forks and shoved it into their mouths. Marguerite watched with anticipation. "Well?"  
  
Challenger spoke first. "Marguerite this is delicious". He scooped up another mouthful of eggs and swallowed.  
  
Veronica agreed as did Malone, who had a mouthful of food. "Mmmmm...this is really good".   
  
Marguerite was bursting with pride. "Nice to see I can still amaze you all", she said.   
  
Roxton winked at her again, "You do it everyday".  
  
*******  
  
After breakfast Challenger went to his lab, Veronica and Ned cleaned up the dishes, and Marguerite went out to the balcony. Roxton followed her out.   
  
"Why Lord Roxton, someone would think I have you on a leash", she said.  
  
"There's a delightful thought". He said with a smirk. Marguerite laughed lightly and after a moment he continued. "Sooo...no big plans today? No gem expeditions or gold hunting?"  
  
"Well now that you mentioned it, I do need some company to look at a cave I saw a few days ago," she smiled teasingly, "would you like to go"?  
  
"Now how could I refuse such a smile".  
  
"Good, well let me get packed and I'll be ready".  
  
Roxton looked at her in confusion, "Packed? How long are we planning on being gone?"  
  
"Just over-night. Too late to back out now Roxton," she gave him one last glance over her shoulder, "besides it'll be fun. I promise". It was her turn to wink at him for a change.  
  
Roxton smiled inwardly, 'Overnight, hmm...maybe this will be fun'.  
  
********  
  
5 hours later....  
  
"Marguerite, I said I'd come with you, not dig around in the bloody dirt" Roxton said annoyed.  
  
They had stopped an hour ago at the river to refill their canteens when Marguerite had inadvertedly found a diamond. She now insisted Roxton help her dig for more.  
  
"I thought you wanted to go to a cave anyways" he continued.  
  
"Who needs a bloody cave when there are diamonds right here?" Marguerite shot back.  
  
"Yes well, you can keep digging if you want, but I'm not rolling around the dirt any longer". Roxton said as he stood.  
  
"Oh John, stop being a baby. Look I'll make you a deal, if you help me find some more diamonds then....I'll help you clean up later". Marguerite said sweetly. Let's see you refuse that Roxton.  
  
Roxton looked at her eyes which were sparkling with mischief. He seemed to consider the offer then finally spoke, "Well what are you waiting for Marguerite, lets check further downstream".   
  
The two explorers moved further down the river where they continued to dig. "John, I don't think there's anything down here. I'm going back to where we were".   
  
"All right, but don't go any further. I'll be there in a minute". Roxton said. He thought he saw something and decided to keep digging. Finally he held up his prize. A diamond. A fairly good size by the look of it. This ought to make her happy.  
  
Marguerite walked in the direction she had just came from when she stopped in her tracks and looked again. What was that doing there? How could it have gotten there? She moved slowly forward and peered at it thoughtfully. "Well what could it hurt if I took a closer look?"  
  
She walked closer to the back-pack lying on the ground. "That wasn't there before was it?" Just as she was about to call for Roxton, a hand clamped over her mouth and someone grabbed her around the waist.  
  
She struggled with her capture and finally bit his hand that was covering her mouth. "ROXTON!" She screamed as loud as she could before the man knocked her unconscious. He and his companion dragged the woman back into the jungle...  
  
********  
  
Roxton was whistling a tune thinking about his reward for finding such a find specimen when he heard Marguerite's cry.  
  
"ROXTON!"  
  
He broke into a run back to the spot where they had been earlier that day. What he found made his body wash over with fear. Marguerite's hat was lying on the ground.   
  
"MARGUERITE!" He screamed frantically, but heard nothing in reply. He picked up the items he had found and shoved them into his pack. "God, if anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself. How could I have been so stupid to let her go off on her own? I have to find her. When I do, whoever took her is going to pay, BIG TIME....."  
  
He followed the tracks into the jungle. "They couldn't have gotten far".  
  
********  
  
Marguerite slowly came aware of her surroundings and noticed the two men dragging her through the jungle. She saw in front of her a large camp site and to her disgust a lot of dirty looking men prowling about it.  
  
"What do you want with me? Who are you?" She demanding as they threw her to the ground.  
  
The man who hit her spoke, "Silence wetch! You will not speak unless you are spoken to". He slapped her hard across the face, and was surprised to see her eyes light with fire.   
  
"Hit me again you maggot and you'll pay". Marguerite said then she spit in his face. The man laughed, then hit her even harder causing her to fall once again unconscious.   
  
"Throw her in with the rest", he said. Sezan thought to himself...This slave will fetch me a fortune.  
  
********  
  
Roxton followed the tracks and soon came upon what appeared to be a large camp. He saw many men around a fire drinking. His eyes searched frantically for Marguerite only to find disappointment. She was nowhere to be seen. Just as he was about to search some more, something caught his eye. There, close to the fire, was her pack. A man was rummaging through it when he pulled something out.   
  
"Sezan! Look at this, I think it's a diamond. This thing is worth a fortune". The man said.   
  
"I knew that one would fetch me a fortune". The man, Roxton assumed, was Sezan replied.   
  
Roxton's blood boiled at the thought of them using Marguerite for money. "I have to find her and quickly". He started to do a perimeter check of the camp.  
  
********  
  
Marguerite's eyes fluttered open and was shocked to see 4 women standing over her. "Now I know how Malone feels", she thought as she grabbed her head in pain. "Where are we?" she asked. One of the women spoke to her in the Zanga language. Marguerite realized they were from Assai's village.   
  
The woman, Malee, explained to her the men were slave traders and had captured them while they were at the river. Marguerite tried to assure them that they were safe.   
  
"Roxton, will come for us. He won't leave us here for them men to trade us like property". She told them. "John, please please hurry. I need you..."  
  
Sezan appeared at the 'holding cage' where the women were being held. He spoke to Marguerite, "If you weren't so valuable, I'd take you for myself".   
  
"Fat chance of that happening, your not getting anything from or for me. You might as well let us go now, my friends will come for us".   
  
Sezan laughed, "We'll see. Nobody can defeat my men".  
  
Marguerite snorted, "Would you like to place a bet on that"? She watched with a smile as Sezan walked away. He looked at her again and spoke to another man while pointing at her. She dreaded what she saw next. The man had her gun and was opening the cage.  
  
"Come on woman, Sezan wants you".   
  
"Tell Sezan to go to hell".  
  
He cocked the gun and motioned her out of the cage. Marguerite reluctantly stepped out of the cage. Half-way to Sezan's tent, she heard gun fire break out. Marguerite ran from the slavers toward the cage but was caught by a pair of strong arms. She started to swing, but heard Roxton's voice.  
  
"Shhh...it's just me". Roxton assured her.  
  
"John, I knew you would come!" She gave him a quick kiss when she broke too soon for Roxton's liking. "Where the hell have you been?", she whispered.  
  
"Nice to see you too Marguerite. Come on before these idiots find us". He started to run back, but she stopped him.  
  
"Roxton there are women from the Zanga village back there. We can't leave them to be sold!"  
  
"What?" Roxton said disbelieving. "Are they slave traders?"  
  
"Who cares! We have to get them". Marguerite took one of Roxton's pistols and ran back toward the cage.   
  
"You get them, I'll take care of the slavers".  
  
Roxton went back to the opening to see the men searching for the source of the gun fire. At least their not smart....Hmm..7 bullets left, and 10 of them. Guess I'll have to improvise.  
  
Roxton threw a rock into the bushes over their heads, while they rushed to see what was there, he shot most of them and threw his hunting knife into one of their backs. Two men ran off into the jungle, and that left him with Sezan.  
  
"So you come to save that woman I suppose".   
  
"That woman is Marguerite, and she's not some trophy to be sold. You, my friend, picked the wrong girl to sell". Roxton said as he lunged at Sezan. They fought, Roxton with the upper hand, until Sezan elbowed him in the stomach. Roxton fell to the ground and started to get up, but Sezan pulled a gun on him.  
  
"No, it was you, my friend, who picked the wrong woman to save". Sezan cocked the gun, and a shot went off. Sezan fell to the ground. Behind him, Marguerite stood with her pistol and the Zanga women behind her.   
  
"I told him he'd pay". Marguerite said. She ran to Roxton. "You all right?"   
  
"I am now" he said smiling at her. He looked over her shoulder to see the Zanga women, "Well let's get you girls home".   
  
********  
  
Back at the Zanga village Jacoba had been so pleased to see his people returned he invited all the explorers to attend a celebration in their honor. The women who were held captive told their story to Veronica, who translated it to Malone. He feverishly tried to get the whole story down.  
  
Challenger had checked out Marguerite's injuries and decided they were not serious. He left her to join Malone and Veronica when he saw Roxton making his way towards her.  
  
"Feeling better?" He asked.  
  
"Much. Challenger is like an old mother hen, I told him I was fine."   
  
"He just wants to make sure you're all right. He cares about you. We all do".  
  
Marguerite smiled at him, "I know. I'm just not used to being fussed over, that's all".  
  
Roxton saw the sadness in her eyes. She didn't have much of a childhood from what he understood, he can only imagine what she had to go through. All alone on holidays even birthdays. He suddenly remembered why he had come over to her.  
  
"I have a present for you".   
  
"A present, for me?" Marguerites eyes lit up, "What is it, John?"  
  
"Close your eyes, and don't open them until I tell you". Roxton said. He pulled out the necklace he had one of the Zanga men fashion for him. He had used the diamond he found days ago and a delicate gold chain Jacoba had given to him as thanks. It was a lovely necklace, a gold band encased a large circle shaped diamond pendant in the center. I hope she likes it....  
  
"Hurry up Roxton, I don't want to wait all day". Marguerite was getting impatient. She knew whatever John had for her she would love it.  
  
"Okay open you eyes". Roxton watched her face as he presented her with the necklace. She had a mixture of surprise, happiness, and confusion.  
  
"John, It's beautiful!!! Where did you get it?" He told her the story and she smiled with delight.   
  
He swept her hair away from her neck and moved around her to clasp the necklace in place. Her fingers found the pendant and she watched how it sparkled. It was beautiful...and I thought it was going to be just another day. Without warning Marguerite grabbed Roxton's neck and pulled his lips to hers. She finally broke the kiss after they both were breathless. Roxton had the biggest smile on his face she wondered if he was smiling because he knew something, or if he was just so happy she kissed him.   
  
"What?" she asked playfully.  
  
"I was just thinking..." Roxton said, "I found you a diamond and...."  
  
Marguerite cut him off, she realized where he was going. "And you want your reward."  
  
"I think, my dear, I've already gotten it". He said before he kissed her again.   
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
